1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an upper tray mounted on an instrument panel of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, there may be receiving spaces at many places in an interior of a vehicle. Presently, for a receiving space in an interior of a vehicle, a glove box is mounted on the instrument panel, which is a front side of a death seat, conventionally referred to as a “front passenger seat”. In case that an air bag is not installed within an upper portion of the instrument panel, which is the front side of the death seat, the space could be utilized as a receiving space.
As mentioned above, the member (referred to an upper tray hereinafter) mounted on the upper portion of the instrument panel, which is a front side of the death seat, is a useful space for receiving a cellular phone, a booklet, a cigarette, a map and a lighter.
For the related art regarding such upper tray, there exist a Korean Utility Model Publication No.1996-004716 and a Korean Utility Model Registration No.20-0264795, which has been filed and registered at KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office) by the present applicant prior to the present application.
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are drawings illustrating an upper tray of the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the upper tray of the related art is mounted on the upper portion of the instrument panel 100 in a front side of the death seat, and includes: a receiving member 50; a cover member 60 for covering a space of the receiving member 50; an opening and shutting means 70 for opening and shutting the cover member 60 at right before a passenger, namely, at one side of the receiving member 50; a rotating means 80 positioned on the other side of the receiving member, namely, on a side opposite to the opening and shutting means 70, for rotating so that locking of the opening and shutting means 70 may be released and, at the same time, the cover member 60 may be opened.
The opening and shutting means 70 consists of: a locking release knob 71 provided to an upper surface of the cover member 60; a hook 74 whose hooked status at a lower end of a frame 101, is released by operation that one side of a spring 73 inserted into a shaft 72 is pressed and rotated as the locking release knob 71 is lowered; an open spring 75 installed on a lower side of the hook 74, for pushing up a lower end of the hook 74 so that the cover member 60 may be opened upon release of the locking status between the hook 74 and the frame 101.
Also, the rotating means 80 consists of: a twisting spring 82 inserted into a rotational shaft 81; a hinge member 83 extended from one side of the cover member 60 and inserted into the rotational shaft 81, for pivoting on the rotational shaft 81, and, at the same time, for pressing the twisting spring 82 as the cover member 60 is opened and closed, by having the twisting spring 82 in its interior; a rack 84 and pinion 85 installed on an inner side of the hinge member 83.
Because the upper tray of the related art as mentioned above, is installed on a portion that directly receives a direct ray of light from a windshield glass, it is apt to be exposed to a high temperature due to temperature rise and a direct ray of light during summer times. Particularly, in summer times that receive a direct ray of lights, twisting is apt to be generated on a cover of the upper tray by transformation due to heat.
Also, as the twisting spring is installed in a central shaft of the hinge member in the upper tray of the related art, torque T is applied by the twisting spring installed to the shaft of the hinge member, to the cover in case that the cover is closed (refer to FIG. 3).
As the cover member 60 is supported in its one point by the hook 74, the cover member 60 is transformed into swollen shape in its center due to influence of torque applied to the cover member 60 and a direct ray of light.
In order to prevent such transformation, a steel member could be inserted into an interior of the cover member. But in that case, formation of the cover member becomes complicated, material costs are raised and, therefore, a problem that manufacturing costs would be raised, is generated.